Classical guitarist David Russell grew up on the island of Minorca, and won a Grammy in 2005 in the best instrumental classical music soloist for his Telarc CD Aire Latino. In this CD he focuses on the Baroque Period, with works by two of the famous lute composer-players of the time, and transcriptions that he himself made of works by Bach and Couperin.
The opening Bach work is the Partita in A Minor originally written for unaccompanied flute. The addition of the harmonies provided by the guitar in the transcription make for an interesting new slant on the work. Six movements from some of the over 800 works for lute composed by Silvius Leopold Weiss are performed on the guitar by Russell. Flemish composer-lutenist Jacques de Saint-Luc was entirely new to me. His suite The Capture of Gaeta honored a victory in Italy by his patron, and includes some of the traditional Baroque dances as used by Bach and others in its eight sections. Three of Francois Couperin’s pieces for harpsichord are adapted for guitar by Russell, ending with the Baroque hit Les Barricades Misterieuses. The familiar Air on the G String rounds out this most satisfying recital of works for classical guitar, replete with Telarc’s usual rich and clear sonics.
TrackList:
1. Allemande
2. Courante
3. Sarabande
4. Bourree Anglaise
5. Adagio/Arioso (Sinfonia From the Cantata No.156)
6. Fantasia In C Minor Sm.83
7. Prelude Sm.32 From the Sonata No.5 In G Major
8. Allemande Sm.114 From the Sonata No.19 In F Major
9. Courente Royale Sm.31
10. Tombeau Sur La Mort De M. Comte D’Logy Sm.210
11. Allegro Sm.141 From the Sonata No.22 In G Major
12. Pastorale In F Major, Movement III, BWV 590
13. Allemande
14. Courante
15. Sarabande
16. Gigue A La Maniere Anglaise
17. Minuet
18. Passepied
19. Rigaudon Pour Les Trompettes
20. Caprice En Passacaille
21. Les Silvains Ordre 1, No.8
22. Les Tours De Passe-Passe Ordre 22, No.8
23. Les Barricades Misterieuses Ordre 6, No.5
24. Air On the G String From the Suite No.3 In D Major, BWV 1068
– John Sunier
